FSU receiver Kenny Shaw unfazed years after taking vicious hit

Toughness, attention to detail helps Shaw thrive for the Seminoles

TALLAHASSEE — Florida State senior wide receiver Kenny Shaw crisply navigated his way past an Oklahoma defender, easily finding an open spot in the middle of the Sooners' defense.

Getting open is Shaw's specialty.

As the pass came his way during the 2011 contest, Shaw turned his body around to haul in a reception.

Falling backward, Shaw made the catch but he was immediately pinned between two Oklahoma players. His neck and head were simultaneously hit by a pair of Sooner helmets.

The ball hit the ground, as did Shaw.

His arms stiffly shot toward the sky, then slowly dropped to ground. For six agonizing seconds, Shaw's body remained in a catatonic state.

That hit, which had the potential to physically and mentally cripple Shaw, has stuck with him. But it hasn't defined him.

"I remember the play, I remember everything," Shaw said. "That certain three minutes, that's the only time I [don't] remember.

"I haven't approached it [differently] and I'm not scared of any defender out there. The hit didn't faze me."

Shaw, a former Orlando Dr. Phillips star who is now a senior at FSU, has displayed uncanny toughness and a noticeable shift in maturity since the ferocious collision two years ago. With a team-leading 188 receiving yards in two games, the slot receiver has developed into one of the most dependable playmakers for No. 8 FSU (2-0, 1-0 ACC). The Seminoles host Bethune-Cookman (3-0) on Saturday at 6 p.m.

"I told him, 'Dadgum, I can't even get on your butt anymore,'" FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said of Shaw's progress this season. "I hope it stays that way."

Shaw shows no signs of stress from regularly putting his body back in harm's way, so it's easy to forget the scare he endured two years ago. He was taken to the hospital Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, had X-rays and tests that were negative and returned to the sideline by the end of the game against Oklahoma.

"It was a devastating hit, it really was. Different people react different ways," Fisher said. "It's just resilience. Sometimes, like you say, it's a thin guy like that, you think, 'Man this guy is going to be in trouble for a long time.' But he bounced back a week later."

Shaw recorded two catches for 20 yards and a touchdown the following week against Clemson.

"The hit, the way it happened, of course you're concerned as a teammate, as my roommate," junior receiver Christian Green said. "You are concerned and worried at the same time, but he recovered really fast. Props to how tough he is."

At a gangly 6-foot, 170-pounds, Shaw has earned the respect of teammates for his willingness to line up in the slot receiver role and continually cross the middle of the field, where — as displayed during the Oklahoma hit — violent collisions are always a possibility.

Shaw has maximized the most of his physical skill set and taken the game more seriously as he's become an upperclassmen.

"Sometimes, you have to be real with yourself," Shaw said. "'I'm not the biggest guy, I'm not the fastest, so what are your strengths?'"

For Shaw, it's route running.

Considered the Seminoles' top route runner by coaches, Shaw — who was FSU's second-leading receiver last year with 532 receiving yards — has learned to be deliberate yet decisive with every step he takes. Until this year, Shaw could be found practicing patterns by himself after games.

"I don't think there's anyone in college that can cover Kenny Shaw," said renowned speed trainer Tom Shaw, who is not related to Kenny Shaw but has mentored the athlete since he played high school football in Orlando.

Dr. Phillips head coach Rodney Wells, a defensive coordinator when Shaw was at the school, was watching the Oklahoma game on TV when Shaw was knocked unconscious.

Initially stunned, Wells said he had the gut feeling that Shaw would be fine.

"He's not afraid of anything. He's not afraid of contact," Wells said. "Week in, week out, safeties are going to be bigger than him. He knows there's a chance he can take a big hit, but Kenny's deal is, he's going to get open.

"That's his mindset. He'll let us know, 'No one can guard me, I'm going to get open.' He's doing the same thing now in college that he always did. He's fearless."